The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) would take effective steps to ensure food safety at Sabarimala, P. Venugopal, Devaswom Commissioner, said here on Tuesday.
Responding to Monday’s news item in The Hindu, ‘A tea stall inside a toilet block at Sabarimala,’ Mr. Venugopal said he had sought an explanation from TDB officials concerned on the matter. He said food safety certification from the Centre for Food Research and Development (CFRD) at Konni would be made compulsory for the Annadanam as well as Prasadom preparation units of the board at Sabarimala.
He said the TDB would make food safety certifications from the Food Safety Commissionerate and the CFRD mandatory for all hotels, tea shops and other eateries functioning at Sabarimala and this would be included in the auction guidelines too.
Action promised
He said stern action would be initiated against contractors who violate the agreement with the TDB.
Meanwhile, Special Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court K. Babu is learnt to have taken up the matter with the Devaswom Bench of the High Court.
The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sanghom (ABASS) has accused the Health Department, the police and the TDB of criminal negligence in ensuring the safety of pilgrims at Sabarimala.
In a statement here on Tuesday, D. Vijayakumar, ABASS vice president, and N. Velayudhan Nair, general secretary, called upon the government to take stern action against those violating the food safety rules.
Mr. Vijayakumar said the TDB should encourage organisations such as the ABASS to open free tea and snack kiosks along the trekking path by providing them grants so as to check fleecing of pilgrims at the hands of traders.
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